Windshield cleaner control mechanism



May 20, 1941. E, STAHL 2,243,042

WINDSHIELD CLEANER CONTROL MECHANISM File Sept. 30, 1957 Figs. az nl 222024 r In" Figi. ,gl

INVENTOR Eugen' Smm,

RNEYS Patented May 20, 1941 zgfiam wlNnsnmLn CLEANER ooN'rnoL MECHA- NrsM Eugen Stahl,

Russelsheim-on-the-Main,

Ger-

many, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Trico Products Corporation, Buiialo, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 30, 1937, Serial No. 166,573 In Germany November 14, 1936 3 Claims.

This invention relates to cleaners for vehicle windshields and has particular reference to means for operating and controlling the operation of such cleaners.

Heretofore it has been suggested to construct windshield cleaners of the swinging or oscillating type driven from a rotating part of the vehicle engine or some other constantly rotating driving means with suitable intermediate transmission means for converting the continuous rotary motion to alternate oscillations of predetermined degree. It is highly desirable in structures of this character that starting and stopping of the oscillating cleaner be effected expeditiously and in such manner that in stopping operations the cleaner will always be halted in a predetermined phase of its oscillating movement, usually at the end of a stroke or when it is changing its direction of oscillation.

The present invention provides improved transmission means for a cleaner of the character referred to and also new and improved manual control means whereby, regardless of the phase of oscillation of the cleaner at the moment of manipulation of control means to stop the cleaner, the cleaner will always come to rest at one extreme end of its stroke or in any other desired and predetermined phase of its oscillation.

The accompanying drawing illustrates transmission means for effecting and accomplishing the results indicated:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view of the transmission and startling and stopping means with the casing therefor in cross section and with the various parts in running position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the various parts in an arrested position;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on the line III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on the line V-V of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a detailed elevational view of an arm member of the mechanism.

In the drawing the numeral I designates a crank which is, during normal operation of the transmission means, caused thereby to rotate continuously in one direction. The crank pin of the crank I is preferably connected to one end of a link, not shown, the other end of which is connected to a longer crank pivoted upon the cleaning means, also not shown. Due to the greater length of the crank on the cleaning means, one complete revolution of the crank I will cause the crank on the cleaning means to oscillate to and fro, the degree of the oscillation being dependent upon the ratio existing between the two cranks.

It will be seen from this that the stopping of the cleaning means in a, predetermined position may be effected by arresting the rotation of the crank I always in the same predetermined position. Means are provided in the transmission mechanism for deferring the stopping of the crank I until it reaches the desired predetermined point regardless of its phase or angular position at the instant that the manual control means is manipulated.

It will be seen by reference to the drawing that the crank I is fixed for rotation with a shaft Ia which is journaled in a casing 2.

A worm wheel 3 is positioned upon the shaft Ia and is adapted to normally rotate therewith. The connection of the worm wheel with the shaft is such, however, that when resistance to rotation of the shaft is unduly great connection between the wheel and the shaft is yieldingly and temporarily broken until the undue resistance is removed when normal rotation is resumed. This connection includes a pin 33 carried by the shaft Ia and normally lodging in a radial groove 34 provided in one face of the worm wheel 3. Connection between the pin 33 and the groove 34 is normally yieldingly effected by a compression spring 30 disposed between the wall of the casing 2 and the face of the worm wheel which is opposite the face having the groove 34. When the load upon the shaft is abnormal the pin 33 will ride out of the groove 34 against the resistance of the spring 30.

The worm wheel 3 engages with and is actuated by a worm 5 carried by a shaft 4 having journal portions bearing in the casing 2. One end of the worm shaft 4 is provided with a flattened portion 4b which normally engages with the slotted end 1a of a shaft 1 which also is journaled in the casing 2 by means of a bushing 8 and which is in axial alinement with the worm shaft 4. The shaft 1 is driven from a flexible cable 6 which may be connected to a rotating part of the motor vehicle engine or to any other suitable source of power.

The shaft 1 is so arranged as to have axial movement in the bushing 8 and is provided with an axial bore which receives a reduced circular end portion 4a of the shaft 4. The telescoping arrangement of the shaft 1 and the end portion 4a of the shaft 4 provides additional bearing support for the shaft 1 and is also designed to permit axial sliding movement.

During normal operation of the windshield cleaner the axial displacement of the shaft is prevented by means which will be hereinafter described and the rotary motion of the cable 6 is transmitted through the shaft 1, the clutch elements 1a, 4b, the worm 5, the worm wheel 3 and the shaft Ia to the crank I.

A segment member I2 is pivotally supported by a shaft I3 carried in the walls of the casing 2.

The segment I2 has a plurality of gear teeth or similar projections II in its lower edge which engage a series of annular grooves I in the shaft 1. The segment is normally locked against one end of which, 2Ia, bears against the underl side `of the top of the casing 2 while the other end, 2lb, bears against the upper side of the strap member 2U. In this way the segment member I2 is normally locked against rotation and through engagement between the teeth II and the grooves I0 the shaft 1 is held against axial sliding movement.

To eiTect disengagement of the end portion I8 of the strap member 20 from the nose I2a of the segment I2 an arm 22 is provided which is xed to the shaft I3. Also fixed to the shaft I3 and preferably at a point outside the casing 2 is a handle member I3a. Turning of the handle member I3acounter-clockwise as seen in Fig. 1 brings the outer end of the arm 22 into engagement with the outer end of the strap member` 20 and causes the latter to move upwardly about its pivotal support against the resistance of the spring 2I until the end.portion I8 is disengaged from the nose I2a of the segment I2. During this movement no rotation of the segment is effected since the only connection of the segment I2 withvthe shaft I3 is through a pin I4 carried by the shaft I3 and disposed in an elongated slot I5 in the segment member I2 so that limited independent rotative movement is provided between the segment member I2 and the shaft I3.

Upon disengagement of the end portion I8 of the strap member 20 from the nose I2a a spring I6, anchored at one end to the casing 2 at I1 and at its other to the segment member I 2, serves to rotate the segment member I2 in a counterclockwise direction. A link 24 is pivotally connected at one end to the segment member I2 and adjacent its other to an arm 25 which is pivotally supported on the casing 2. The link 24 is provided at the latter end with arounded nose portion 21 and counterclockwise rotation of the segment member I2 moves the link 24 to the left as seen in Fig. 1 until the nose portion 21 strikes the periphery of a skirt portion 28 formed upon the worm wheel 3. The rotative movement of the segment I2 to this point in the operation of the stopping means has been insumcient to effect disconnection of the clutch elements Ib and 1a, and the nose portion rides upon the skirt portion of the still rotating worm wheel 28 until it comes into an opening 28 provided in the skirt portion when the nose portion 21 drops into the opening under impetus of the spring I6. This locks the worm wheel 3 against further rotation and theadditional counterclockwise lrotative movement which is thus imparted to the segment I2 effects simultaneously disconnection of the clutch elements 4b and 1a. It will be seen from this that manipulation of the handle I 3a at any phase of operation will preset the various parts so that operation of the device will be effectively arrested the next time the predetermined stopping position is reached.

To effect resumption of operation the handle member I3a is rotated in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1 which, through engagement of the pin I4 in the walls of the slot I5. serves to withdraw the nose 21 from the opening 28 in the skirt portion 28, restore connection between the clutch elements 4b and 1a, and effect reengagement of the end portion I8 of the strap member 20 with the nose I2a of the segment member I2 to latch the parts in operative position until the handle member I3a is again manipulated to arrest operation.

While a single specific embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that my said inventionis not limited thereto or in any other way excepting as dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In mechanism for cleaning the windshields `of vehicles, a driving part, an element adapted to be driven thereby, transmission means from said driving part to said driven element, disengageable clutch means between said driving part and said transmission means, means pivotally mounted adjacent said clutch means for effecting engagement and disengagement thereof, yieldable means acting on said pivotal means to urge it to clutch disengaging position, latch means for normally holding said pivotal means in clutch engaging position, and manual means mounted concentrically with said pivotal means for effecting release of said latch means.

2. In mechanism for cleaning the windshields of vehicles, a driving part, an element adapted to be driven thereby, transmission means from said driving part to said driven element, disengageable clutch means between said driving part and said transmission means, a manually rockable shaft adjacent said clutch means and means carried thereby for effecting engagement and disengagement of said clutch means, yieldable means acting on said clutch engaging means to urge it into clutch disengaging position, latch means for normally holding said means in clutch engaging position, means xed to said rockable shaft for effecting release of said latch means upon manual rotation of said shaft, and a lost motion connection between said shaft and said clutch engaging means whereby said shaft may be moved to actuate said latch releasing means Without aifecting said clutch engaging means, but may be oppossitely rotated to directly re-engage said clutch through said clutch-engaging means.

3. In mechanism for cleaning the windshields of vehicles, a driving part, an element adapted to be driven thereby, transmission means from said driving part to said driven element, clutch means between said driving part and said transmission means, means engaging said clutch means for effecting engagement and disengagement thereof, a locking part pivotally supported by said latter means and a pivotal link engaging said locking part at a point spaced from its pivotal support for guiding its movement, said locking part being movable into locking engagement with said transmission means by and during clutch disengaging movement of said clutch engaging and disengaging means.

EUGEN STAHL. 

